REVIEW: Nabisco Limited Edition Banana Split Oreo

No, not that glorious day when the Buffalo Bills finally win the Super Bowl or me winning the Powerball jackpot with the numbers from the TV show Lost. I’m talking about the death of creative product development from the Nabisco research team.

What else can explain their new Limited Edition Banana Split Oreo, which seems like a rehashing of 2008’s Limited Edition Banana Split Creme Oreo? I mean after the debut of Watermelon Oreo I was fully expecting a Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Pesto Oreo or something, not an iconic American dessert that’s been tried before (and did so-so).

To be fair, the 2013 Banana Split Oreo cookies aren’t an exact clone of their 2008 predecessor. Unlike the previous version, which featured a drink-more-water pee yellow creme between two chocolate wafers, this year’s Banana Split Oreo cookies are pretty ambitious.

You’ve got your chocolate wafer as an homage to chocolate ice cream, of course, but also a vanilla wafer ice cream shoutout in addition to strawberry and banana creme fillings. Too bad they couldn’t make it a Triple Double Oreo with a top peanut butter creme layer, because that would’ve just put the icing on the cake sundae in Oreo decadence.

Generally speaking, there are two schools of thoughts when it comes to banana-flavored foods. There are the products made with real banana puree — like yogurts, smoothies, and other viscous treats — which make me say, “Well, screw evolution because I’m loving these bananas like a monkey!” And there’s also the dreaded Runt Syndrome. We’ve all been there, tearing through a bag of Runts one minute thinking, “Why don’t I buy these more?” only to come to the end of the bag, staring at the strongly artificial tasting dextrose banana pieces and remembering, “Oh yeah, that’s why.”

Unfortunately, these Oreo cookies smell very similar to those notoriously lambasted candies, and when eaten alone, the banana creme doesn’t do a whole lot to discourage the artificial banana flavor stereotype. It’s one-note and cloying, with an almost metallic faux-fruit taste that does a disservice to the actual fruit.

Worse yet, it tends to cover more surface area of the wafer than the strawberry creme filling, which isn’t bad, but isn’t as pleasant or strawberry-ey as the strawberry creme found in Limited Edition Strawberries ‘n Creme Oreo. Clearly, this is not a cookie for the kind of Oreo top twister who normally revels at the sweet vanilla creme that fills a standard Oreo.

I had higher hopes for eating the cookie in one complete bite, and to a certain degree, I think they’re better that way. The addition of a mild cocoa-flavored wafer, as well as the Golden Oreo, meld with the artificial banana flavor in such a way that your last taste isn’t the equivalent of a creamy banana runt. The problem is that the taste is not really a banana split flavor.

I realize packing the flavors of such an ambitious dessert into cookie form is one step below Willy Wonka-type food magic, but that doesn’t change the fact that Limited Edition Banana Split Oreo cookies aren’t that good. And while I’m tempted to go with the old “less is more” expression when it comes to Oreo cookies, there is still a part of me which wonders if the distinct flavors of whipped cream, peanuts, and yes, even that laboratory-red maraschino cherry wouldn’t have brought a more authentic flavor to the party. I guess we’ll never know.

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14 thoughts to “REVIEW: Nabisco Limited Edition Banana Split Oreo”

I wouldn’t mind trying some of these limited edition Oreo’s up until this one they have sounded quite tempting. Couldn’t agree more about the typical banana flavors especially due to a recent run in with banana “flavored” products

I found these in the grocery store and was so excited. I bought a bag and brought them home. The family loved them! they sent me right back to the store and I bought 6 more bags. These are wonderful cookies.

To each it’s own. I love artificial banana flavor, and these cookies are simply delicious to me. I didn’t think I would like them so when I saw the Limited Time display stand, I bought a pack just to try them out. Low and behold I ate the whole bag in one sitting. I’m not an greedy person if your wondering. I just like out of the box cookies. I went back to buy more the next day, and they were gone. The entire stand was gone. I seriously searched threw the Oreo section of the store to only find one pack buried under the regular Oreo’s. I searched ever store I came across, and came up empty handed. I’m so sad to see I misses out, so I figured I’d find them online and this is how I ended up here. I never liked to lick the cream from an Oreo. I always eat the whole cookie, and wash it down with a cold glass of milk. It’s been three weeks and I still search for these cookies. I wish they put them back on the shelf. I’m going to write Nabisco a letter and see if I can get some satisfaction. I want to try the Lemon Oreo’s but I never seen them.

Great article, but unfortunately I have to disagree here; I’ve never been a big Oreo guy but I find these surprisingly delightful. Of course the banana flavoring is artificial but I don’t know what else someone would expect when purchasing these cookies.

To each his own, but also don’t knock it til you tried it. I’m sure glad I did.

I am a manager at Applebee’s I saw these cookies at the store I love Oreos this is the besti ever had I shared it with my staff and they ate them all I went to get more and they were gone you need to bring them back and we all had milk with them